The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online

RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1842.07.12. [Note on Prunella vulgaris]. CUL-DAR205.1.30. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 8.2021. RN1

The brown crayon number '10' indicates that this document was filed by Darwin in his portfolio for the subject of Rudimentary & abortive organs.

NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin. The volume CUL-DAR205.1 contains notes on rudimentary organs.

[30]

Shrewsbury July 12 /42/

Prunella vulgaris excessively dwarfed & few flowered on turf on lawn. The upper stamens under hood have very short filaments (whether proportionally shorter?) & no fork on summit of stamen but the anther is set on right angles. This case in all flowers differs from Sowerby's description. Lower stamens with point of tooth. All anthers contain pollen: apparently not in large quantity & does not shake out. In water there appear but few empty capsules: but some few of the grains swell much larger than the others.

Smith 3/I 115 says "the barren branch of the two upper stamens is sometimes shortened & blunted." I am sure none existed.

Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)